[NU Sports] hank must go?

[DPENDERG at aol.com]

All of this finger pointing at coordinators forces me to emphasize that the 
 buck stops with the head coach when it comes to this embarrassing loss at 
West  Point yesterday.  The Cats were poorly prepared, lethargic and 
executed  haphazardly.  I put all of it on the shoulders of Fitz, who failed to  
get his coaches and players ready for a very winnable game. I hope  this game 
will be a wakeup call for the coaches and players.  Playing like  they did 
yesterday and the Cats will have trouble winning most of their Big Ten  games 
this season.  
 
 
In a message dated 9/18/2011 12:03:10 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
sjtruog at yahoo.com writes:

I agree  with Jim and Mike ...

On the question of firing Hank, the answer is a  solid NO. He has done much 
more positive overall than any DC we've had since  Vandy. And while that 
last drive wasn't his finest hour, Army is one of those  offenses that is 
tough to prepare for and we held them to 21 points. I think  our kids could have 
been a little better prepared and more adjustments ... but  I really think 
after some early dings and bruises, we were extra-conscious of  those 
legal-but-still-cheap low blocks at the knees on the edges (kind of like  the Air 
Force gams) and it got in our head.

I have more ire at McCall  -- 14 points on Army's D??? We need to find out 
how to sustain a drive - our  play calling was all over the map. There was 
one possession in the 3rd where  we took three straight deep shots down the 
field. Go ahead and take 1 to  stretch the D, but when you're chucking it 20+ 
yards three straight plays with  a QB who, despite many strengths, doesn't 
throw the greatest deep ball ...  well, then you're just handing it back to 
Army's O and giving our D no rest.  The O looked fine until they put a spy 
on Kain - then, once again, we didn't  make any adjustment except chucking it 
deep more and hoping Jeremy Ebert makes  another amazing catch. And Jim's 
right about before the half as well -  clock management by the O!

So like I said, I'm pointing fingers at the  coaches here -- poor 
preparation and lack of adjustments. But I certainly  don't want Hank gone and more 
of that ire is at McCall for only 14  points.

As for going all doom and gloom, I think we're overreacting a  bit there. 
This is NOT the Miami loss of 1995 (though I wouldn't mind if it  worked out 
like that one afterwards) ... it's not as bad as losses between  against 
Syracuse, Duke, New Hampshire or others.

We started the year  2-1. Like I said, I hoped those days were over, but 
considering our best  player is out and 2 of the 3 were on the road, 2-1 isn't 
sky-is-falling bad.  Disappointing? Yes. But not clean-house bad. As we've 
been over many times -  NU is not the type of team that can come out and win 
the creampuffs on name  alone -- we can beat just about anyone when we're 
on and lose to just about  anyone when we're off. Yesterday was uninspired by 
the players and featured  poor planning/adjustments from the coaches -- add 
that to an Army team that  will play hard on every snap and wanted it more 
at home and you get the recipe  for a September loss.

We've got a week off to get Persa healthy and get  ready for Illinois, who 
will probably be 4-0 and in the top 25. If they can't  use two weeks to 
prepare better, get the team motivated for a rival who  smacked them around last 
year AND come up with better in-game adjustments,  THEN we can talk about a 
coach's future.

This one stings, but let's not  overreact either.

GO CATS!!!
-SjT


* * * * * * * * *  * * * * * * * * * * * * *
STEPHEN J. TRUOG
sjtruog at yahoo.com
GO  CATS!!! GEAUX SAINTS!!!
Super Bowl XLIV  Champions!
________________________________



________________________________
From:  Jim Leonard <jleonard518 at yahoo.com>
To: Northwestern Wildcats  <nwu-sports at tssi.com>
Sent: Sunday, September 18, 2011 7:58  AM
Subject: Re: [NU Sports] hank must go?

I agree with Mike. Our  spread offense should be productive enough to win 
any game where the defense  holds an opponent to 21 points. I was frustrated 
that we didn't have a better  attack on defense but that did not cost us the 
game.

Who decided after  BC and EIU that Kain should throw 20+ yards downfield 
6-7? 
Where was  Mike Trumpy in the first quarter? 

I realize that I am saying this  as a fan and not a coach but I thought we 
should have tried one quick shot to  the end zone before the half (when we 
attempted a field goal). I'm pretty sure  we could have gotten a play off in 
4 seconds and still had 1-2 ticks on the  clock for the field goal if the 
pass was  incomplete. 

Jim 


________________________________
From:  Mike Nolan <nolan at tssi.com>
To: bwdolphin146 at yahoo.com
Cc:  "nwu-sports at tssi.com" <nwu-sports at tssi.com>
Sent: Sunday, September  18, 2011 2:51 AM
Subject: Re: [NU Sports] hank must go?

> We  ready for that yet? Hank Cheese? Thoughts? (I lean towards  yes)

Thankfully, fans don't make that kind of decision.   

Army was #2 in rushing offense for a reason.  

I was less  impressed with the offensive game plan than the
defensive one.  We  will need to be able to score more than 14
points in a game if we want to  make it to a bowl game.

Let's hope that Persa is ready for Illinois in  two weeks, their 
rushing game may not be easy to stop, either.   
--
Mike  Nolan

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